Oyster

In this satirical family drama, a bestselling author struggles with writer’s block until she reconnects with her ambitious niece at a funeral — perfect for fans of Where’d You Go, Bernadette.

One-time bestselling novelist Amelia Cameron has writer’s block. After her octogenarian father falls off a roof during a windstorm, his funeral brings the four Cameron siblings together on the family farm, following years of separation. With the patriarch gone, familiar relationships begin to crumble.

While the siblings spar, Amelia’s niece, Ginny Gupta, begs her famous aunt for writing advice on her first novel. After a wine-soaked weekend and an innocent bit of typing, the resulting novel, The World Is Your Oyster, brings both women to the brink of scandal with the potential to shake the powerful literary world.

Veering between the high-stakes literary scene and the splendour of Prince Edward County vineyards, Ackerman’s glittering, sharp-edged prose takes aim at the County’s legendary codes — sweep gossip under the rug and tamp down high emotion — while slyly dissecting the pretences of book publishing.